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Caribbean Sweet Potato Soup

With summer stalling and cranking into reverse on its way into southwestern Ontario, a Caribbean sweet potato soup seemed just the thing to stimulate my dreams of hot sunny weather and warm my stomach besides. Coconut milk intensifies the rich, buttery sweetness of sweet potatoes and makes this very simple soup a smooth and creamy delight. Try it once and you'll be back for a second bowl.

Bring the sweet potatoes and vegetable stock to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, add the turmeric, cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove from heat and purée in a countertop blender or with a hand blender. Return to heat and stir in the coconut milk, salt, maple syrup, cayenne and black pepper, and keep at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl around to coat the pan. Add the onion and fry for 10 minutes or until the onion is golden brown. Add to the soup pot and stir in the lime juice.

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 23 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.